HomeInvestors & MediaNews
- TRIGR merges with U.S. clinical-stage biopharma Compass Therapeutics
- ABL-TRIGR terminate 2018 licensing agreement, allowing ABL to accelerate independent development of bispecific antibody candidates for clinical development
May 14, 2021 - ABL Bio, Inc., a South Korean biotech developing bispecific antibody technology for immuno-oncology and neurodegenerative diseases, said in a press release today that it expects the merger between its global partner TRIGR Therapeutics and Compass Therapeutics to help accelerate the global clinical development of its lead candidate ABL001(CTX-009/TR009/NOV1501). ABL001 is a bispecific antibody targeting VEGF and DLL4 to treat cancer patients with solid tumors, currently in a Phase 1b study being conducted in South Korea.
Compass Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Boston, focused on developing therapeutic antibodies that target the immune system to treat cancer or autoimmune diseases. Having received financing from leading healthcare investment firms, including OrbiMed and F-Prime Capital, Compass has developed a broad pipeline of monoclonal and multispecific therapeutic candidates, with its lead 4-1BB based molecule CTX-471 currently in Phase 1 clinical study in the U.S.
The new entity possesses the global rights for ABL001, excluding the Republic of Korea and Greater China, through a licensing agreement signed by ABL and TRIGR in 2018. Compass plans to file an Investigational New Drug(IND) in the U.S. for ABL001 later this year, adding momentum to the global development of the drug.
As part of the merger, ABL has agreed to terminate its 2018 licensing agreement that granted TRIGR the global rights(excluding the Republic of Korea) to five of its pre-clinical stage antibodies. This comes as Compass seeks to position itself as a clinical-stage company and avoid 4-1BB-targeting pipelines that may overlap with its own. This allows ABL to significantly enhance its cancer immunotherapy portfolio through its independent development of bispecific antibody candidates ABL101(BCMA X 4-1BB) and ABL103(B7-H4 X 4-1BB).
ABL plans to proceed with IND filing early next year to initiate Phase 1 clinical trial of ABL101 and submit another IND application for ABL103 later the same year.
About ABL Bio
ABL Bio, Inc. (KOSDAQ: 298380) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing antibody therapeutics for immuno-oncology and neurodegenerative diseases. With internal R&D and global partnerships, ABL has developed multiple BsAb platforms, such as ‘Grabody-T,’ ‘Grabody-I’ and ‘Grabody-B’ and built an innovative pipeline of multiple clinical and pre-clinical stage drug candidates. In the oncology area, we have developed Grabody-T, a modular 4-1BB engaging platform that has demonstrated superior efficacy and safety. In the neurodegenerative disorder space, we have developed Grabody-B, which is designed to maximize blood-brain barrier(BBB) penetration. Grabody-B is applicable to various CNS targets across a plethora of neurological disorders, potentially providing a breakthrough to address the high unmet medical needs in neurodegeneration. For more information, please visit www.ablbio.com